Stages of language acquistion vary between L1 and L2 learners. Below is a summary of the stages of language development for each type of learner and the stages towards proficiency for second language learners.
First Language (L1) Acquisition
Factor
Questions to Address
Age: When does language acquisition begin and how does it progress?
In L1 acquisition, the first stages develop as early as infancy. 4-7 months:cooing
Coos represent awareness of sound and its
potential significance. 6/7 months to 11 months : babbling
Babies make “language sounding” sounds
consisting of consonant/vowel sequences. 11 months to 16 months
During this stage babbling decreases and the
child uses more words and begins to
understand the concept that words mean
something.
(Gass and Selinker, pg. 31)
Sound System: How do young children learn the L1 sound system and the rules of the native language?
Children are first aware of the L1 sound system when they begin to babble. Babbling is a series of consonant and vowel sounds.
From the onset of acquisition, children identify various sounds at different stages; however, often struggle to pronounce the sounds they hear. For example, they may hear “rabbit,” but pronounce it “wabbit.”
Children first adopt one word stages of acquisition because word combnation is not yet present.
Syntactic development from this stage begins to occur.
(Gass and Selinker, pg. 31)
Learning Environment: Where does L1 take place and under what conditions and circumstances does early language learning occur?
L1 begins in the home and continues to progress in natural and education settings.
Second Language (L2) Acquisition
Factor
Questions to Address
Age: When does second language acquisition begin and how does it progress?
Second language acquisition ranges from when linguistic knowledge begins for an L2 learner and the ability to use that speech and process it in real time. (Gass and Selinker, pg. 81)
This occurs in 4 stages:
I. Preproduction – This stage is categorized as a “silent period.” Learners produce language through repetition and mimicking gestures.
II. Early Production – L2 learner can speak in 1 or 2 word phrases. Period lasts approximately 6 months.
III. Speech Emergence -- L2 learner can ask simple questions, that may or may not be grammatically correct and begin to do content level work with support.
IV. Intermediate Fluency -- L2 learners begin to use more complex sentences when speaking and writing and can express opinions and share their thoughts.
V. Advanced Fluency -- near native speakers in content area
Sound System: How do second language learners learn the sound system and rules of the second language?
Second language learners learn sound systems and the rules of the second language through pronunciation practice and perception. Phonemic contrast must be considered when differentiating sounds. Sound systems where L1 and the target language have similar contrast are easier for L2 students to learn. When the contrast is obligatory, difficulties will occur.
(Gass and Selinker, pg. 31)
Learning Environment: Where does early L2 language acquisition take place and under what type of conditions?
L2 language acquisition usually occurs in the classroom along as in natural exposure situations where the language is spoken. Access to native speakers in important in successful acquisition.
(Gass and Selinker, pg. 31)
Related Factors: What is interlanguage and fossilization and how do these things impact SLA?
Interlanguage is the language system SLA learners create when learning a second language. It is often filled with many errors, but it is a system with its own structure.
Fossilization is when learning has stopped and interlanguage is established.
Fossilization of interlanguage is a dangerous hurdle that must be overcome for mastery second language acquisition to occur.
Stages of language acquistion vary between L1 and L2 learners. Below is a summary of the stages of language development for each type of learner and the stages towards proficiency for second language learners.
4-7 months: cooing
Coos represent awareness of sound and its
potential significance.
6/7 months to 11 months : babbling
Babies make “language sounding” sounds
consisting of consonant/vowel sequences.
11 months to 16 months
During this stage babbling decreases and the
child uses more words and begins to
understand the concept that words mean
something.
(Gass and Selinker, pg. 31)
From the onset of acquisition, children identify various sounds at different stages; however, often struggle to pronounce the sounds they hear. For example, they may hear “rabbit,” but pronounce it “wabbit.”
Children first adopt one word stages of acquisition because word combnation is not yet present.
Syntactic development from this stage begins to occur.
(Gass and Selinker, pg. 31)
This occurs in 4 stages:
I. Preproduction – This stage is categorized as a “silent period.” Learners produce language through repetition and mimicking gestures.
II. Early Production – L2 learner can speak in 1 or 2 word phrases. Period lasts approximately 6 months.
III. Speech Emergence -- L2 learner can ask simple questions, that may or may not be grammatically correct and begin to do content level work with support.
IV. Intermediate Fluency -- L2 learners begin to use more complex sentences when speaking and writing and can express opinions and share their thoughts.
V. Advanced Fluency -- near native speakers in content area
(Gass and Selinker, pg. 31)
(Gass and Selinker, pg. 31)
Fossilization is when learning has stopped and interlanguage is established.
Fossilization of interlanguage is a dangerous hurdle that must be overcome for mastery second language acquisition to occur.
CARLA Center for Advanced Research on Language Acquisition
http://www.carla.umn.edu/
NCLA National Clearing House for English Language Acquistion
http://www.ncela.gwu.edu/
Daiva Berzinskas
daivaberz@gmail.com